101 These are the moon's monthly changes.
102 Tertullian refers to the Magian method of watching eclipses, the e0noptromantei/a.
103 Instead of "non valet," there is the reading "non volet," "God would not consent," etc.
104 Viderint igitur "Let them look to themselves," "never mind them."
109 See above, c. i. [Note 19, p. 129.]
110 See The Apology, especially cc. xxii. and xxiii.
115 Sapere. The infinitive of purpose is frequent in our author.
117 An allusion to Antinous, who is also referred to in The Apology, xiii. ["Court-page." See, p. 29, Supra.]
119 By the "legibus" Tertullian refers to the divine honours ordered to be paid, by decrees of the Senate, to deceased emperors. Comp. Suetonius, Octav. 88; and Pliny, Paneg. 11 (Oehler).
130 Comp. The Apology, ix. [See, p. 25, Supra.]
131 Comp. Minucius Felix, Octav. xxi.; Arnobius, adv. Nat. v. 6,7; Augustine, Civ. Dei, vi. 7.
132 This is the force of the subjunctive verb.
133 By divine scandals, he means such as exceed in their atrocity even human scandals.
134 See above, c. i. [p. 129.]
135 Minicipes. "their local worshippers of subjects."
137 Literally, "Have men heard of any Nortia belonging to the Vulsinensians?"
138 Deos decuriones, in allusion to the small provincial senates which in the later times spread over the Roman colonies and municipia.
140 Compare Suidas, s. v. Sara/pij; Rufinus, Hist. Eccl. ii. 23. As Serapis was Joseph in disguise, so was Joseph a type of Christ, according to the ancient Christians, who were fond of subordinating heathen myths to Christian theology.
141 Tertullian is not the only writer who has made mistakes in citing from memory Scripture narratives. Comp. Arnobius.
144 Super caput esse, i.e., was entrusted to him.
147 Isis; comp. The Apology, xvi. [See p. 31, supra.]
152 Ignotis Deis. Comp. Acts xvii. 23.
153 Ut bulbi. This is the passage which Augustine quotes (de Civit. Dei, vii. 1) as "too facetious."
154 Adventicii, "coming from abroad."
155 Touching these gods of the vanquished nations, compare The Apology, xxv.; below, c. xvii.; Minucious Felix, Octav. xxv.
159 Referred to also above, i. 18.
160 The obscure "formam et patrem" is by Oehler rendered "pulchritudinem et generis nobiltatem."
161 The word is "eorum" (possessive of "principum"), not "suae"
163 What Tertullian himself thinks on this point, see his de Corona, xi.
164 Cleobis and Biton; see Herodotus i. 31.
165 See Valerius Maximus, v. 4, 1.
166 We need not stay to point out the unfairness of this statement, in contrast with the exploits of Aeneas against Turnus, as detailed in the last books of the Aeneid.
168 We have thus rendered "quiritatem est," to preserve as far as one could the pun on the deified hero of the Quirites.
169 We insert the Latin, to show the pun on Sterculus; see The Apology, c. xxv. [See p. 40, supra.]
171 Bona Dea, i.e., the daughter of Faunus just mentioned.
172 See Livy, viii. 20, xxxii. I; Ovid, Fasti, vi. 213, etc. Compare also Augustine, de Civ. Dei, xviii. 10. [Tom, vii. p. 576.]
173 Compare Augustine, de Civ. Dei, vi. 7. [Tom. vii. p. 184.]
175 That is, when he mounted the pyre.
176 Herculi functam. "Fungi alicui" means to satisfy, or yield to.
177 The well-known Greek saying, !Alloj ou[tos 9Hraklh=j..
178 Pluto; Proserpine, the daughter of Ceres, is meant. Oehler once preferred to read, "Hebe, quae mortuo placuit," i.e., "than Hebe, who gratified Hercules after death."
179 Tertullian often refers indignantly to this atrocious case.
181 Efflagitant coelo et sanciunt, (i.e., "they insist on deifying.")